Clematis armandii pruning
Julia1983
Posts: 139
Hello all,
I have a Clematis Armandii growing against a wall, planted last year. It is looking lovely at the moment and has put on lots of new growth. The thing is the nursery advised hard pruning it in its second year so it would grow new shoots from the bottom. I am loathe to cut off all that new growth though! 😭 has anyone ever done this and would you recommend it, or should I leave it be?
I have a Clematis Armandii growing against a wall, planted last year. It is looking lovely at the moment and has put on lots of new growth. The thing is the nursery advised hard pruning it in its second year so it would grow new shoots from the bottom. I am loathe to cut off all that new growth though! 😭 has anyone ever done this and would you recommend it, or should I leave it be?
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Posts
After you have enjoyed the flowers, cut it hard back. Then it has time for the new wood to mature and produce flowering stems for next year.
Group one information often says "No prune" but most clematis can be pruned at the right time. Your new one needs some cutting back to help make new low down shoots and root growth.
Once they get going Armandii are big strong growers. Also get used to big old shed leaves, they do take time to rot down they are quite tough.
I used to pick ours up they were a tad annoying.
Whoever sold it to you gave you good advice
Following the supplier's advice will help make yours thicker and bushier and stronger with stems that have flowers lower down and not just at the ends.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
"To renovate, cut all stems back almost to the base, just after flowering. Apply a general fertiliser, mulch and water in dry spells. Response is generally good. Leave at least three years before pruning hard again"
Never realised you could do this with Group 1s. I'm going to have a go at my old congested Macropetala Blue Bird this year....
Thanks for asking the question!
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw